A Catalog of Academic, State Agency and Legislative Policies and Programs to Advance Soil Health
Published 07-10-18
Submitted by The Soil Health Institute
Soil health policies are growing in number and importance across the United States but are widely dispersed across a variety of academic institutions, state agencies and legislative bodies. This catalog brings these policy efforts together to facilitate cross-pollination, learning and coordination.
Developed by the Soil Health Institute (SHI) Policy Action Team, this comprehensive online catalog of soil health policies will help agricultural leaders find action-focused resources quickly.
"Sustainable solutions start with local and regional stakeholders communicating and making change,” said Jamie Fanous, Graduate Research Assistant at Tufts University and member of the SHI Policy Action Team. “I hope this catalog will encourage local communication among academic, state agency and legislative stakeholders to improve soil health."
The catalog is organized by the following components:
- Academic [education, research programs and resources]
- State Agency [grants, financial incentives and technical assistance]
- Legislative [summary of current bills, their purpose and status]
Contact information is provided to facilitate follow-up with the coordinating entity.
“This catalog serves as a very helpful resource for anyone interested in developing state-level soil health policies and programs, allowing them to learn and build from what others have already done,” added Dr. Rob Myers, SHI Policy Team Co-Chair and Regional Director for North Central USDA-Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (USDA-SARE).
“The sheer number of academic, agency and legislative efforts is a powerful display of the growing momentum of the soil health movement,” added Dr. Wayne Honeycutt, President & CEO of the Soil Health Institute.
SHI would like to thank Jamie Fanous and Dr. Timothy Griffin of Tufts University, and Dr. Rob Myers of USDA-SARE for their leadership on the SHI Policy Action Team in developing this catalog.
The Policy Action Team would appreciate your assistance in identifying additional academic programs, state agency efforts and legislative initiatives related to soil health. Please submit newly identified policy efforts using the form at the bottom of the website page.
For further information, visit www.soilhealthinstitute.org.
About the Soil Health Institute
The Soil Health Institute's (www.soilhealthinstitute.org) mission is to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soil through scientific research and advancement. The Institute works with its many stakeholders to identify gaps in research and adoption; develop strategies, networks and funding to address those gaps; and ensure beneficial impact of those investments to agriculture, the environment and society.
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About the Soil Health Institute
The Soil Health Institute is a global non-profit with a mission to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soil through scientific research and advancement. We bring together leaders in soil health science and the industry to help farmers, ranchers, and landowners adopt soil health systems that build drought resilience, stabilize yield, and benefit their bottom line.
The Institute’s team of scientists, holding doctorates in various soil science and related disciplines, has developed highly effective soil health targets and standardized measurements to quantify progress at achieving regenerative and sustainable agricultural systems, and leads the cutting-edge fields of carbon sequestration and decoding the soil microbiome.
Healthy soils are the foundation for rejuvenating our land. Together, we can create a secure future for all, mitigate the effects of climate change, and help agriculture and organizations meet production and environmental goals at scale.
Visit soilhealthinstitute.org to learn more and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
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